Bearman eyes greater say in Haas development
With Esteban Ocon set to leave Haas at season’s end, Oliver Bearman says he is ready to help guide the team, while describing the lessons he has taken from his teammate.
Oliver Bearman says Esteban Ocon’s expected departure from Haas at the end of the season could open the way for him to take on a more senior role and help shape the team’s development.
Speaking in Sepang ahead of the relocated Bahrain Grand Prix, Bearman said he expected to become Haas’s most experienced driver. He described the prospect as an opportunity to keep learning, rather than a formal appointment to lead the team.
Bearman credited Ocon, his teammate for more than a year, with showing him how to work with the team and provide direction. He said Ocon’s speed and approach to the job had been useful examples as he adjusted to Formula One.
The shift from Formula 2 had also changed what was expected of him, Bearman said. In F1, teams look to drivers for development input, motivation and direction, in contrast with his experience in F2, where drivers are more often guided by their teams.
Bearman said he had come a long way in two years when asked whether he felt ready for a leadership role. The supplied report cuts off during his answer, and Haas has not been reported as formally appointing him to that position.
